


(meander)

by theredhoodie



Series: (snapshots) [2]
Category: From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series
Genre: Chivalry, F/M, Fluff, Noir vibes, Post Season 3 Finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-04
Updated: 2016-12-04
Packaged: 2018-09-06 09:03:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8743750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theredhoodie/pseuds/theredhoodie
Summary: Richie buys Kate a pearl necklace.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Here we are again. I have so many short(ish) ideas and I hope you all like them! Briefly edited by me, all mistakes are my own. Thanks to my twitter followers for being supportive!
> 
> \--  
> Post s3 finale, fluffy randomness.

It had been dark for hours and Kate's been too lazy to take her clothes off. She's lying on her stomach on someone's bed, her ankles hooked and swaying in the air, back and forth, back and forth, clothed in a simple black dress. It was one of her favorites: ended above the knee, had thick straps, and a classic square neckline that was a little lower than her usual garb, and a bit of ruching on the side to give it some texture. It was made out of some material that was so soft she could very well sleep in it.

She flipped through a magazine that belonged to the house's previous owner but who had obviously forgotten to cancel or change their address. Ads for stuff she didn't need or want clogged the pages amid models and actresses photoshopped beyond recognition.

She kept flipping through it anyway.

Richie darkened the doorway. He knocked lightly on the doorframe.

Kate glanced up, thankful for the interruption and hoping something good would happen tonight. She was restless. She raised her eyebrows at him. "Yes?" she asked, swinging her legs back and forth above her like a pendulum.

"Do you want to go out with me?" he asked bluntly, though his voice carried enough charisma for it to not come off as harsh.

Kate looked at the clock. "It's very late." It was past eleven, most every place would be empty and locked up by now, even if it was a Saturday.

"I have a surprise."

Intrigued, Kate got off the bed—quite ungraciously, but it was a hard position to move from gracefully even without a snug skirt trapping your knees—and searched around for shoes. Realizing she was in Seth's room, she squeezed past Richie and tiptoed down the hall. Richie followed her like a shadow as she ran her fingertips down the wall, counting her steps as she went.

_There_ , she spotted her tallest black heels by the door. They cost a fortune and had red suede along the outside bottoms. It had taken her a week to figure out how to walk in them properly, but now she could saunter around with an extra five inches of height whenever she wanted. Just as long as it wasn't for too long of a period because then her toes started to cramp up.

Richie would have told her if they were a bad idea for whatever his plan was, so she pulled them on, the thin heels sinking lightly into the carpet.

"Acceptable?" she asked, holding her arms out loftily and waiting expectantly. Her hair, forever to be tinged red she realized months ago, was still holding onto its sleek curls that she had pinned up that afternoon to model after some 1950's actress she saw a few days ago in a movie Richie was watching.

Her pale skin, black fitted dress, and hair painted a pretty picture and Richie nodded, once. He was, like always, dressed in a suit, though this one was grey with a black shirt and red tie. He offered her his arm.

She rolled her eyes and searched around for Seth. He was counting money—yes, counting money, putting it into piles of tens and then recounting it in piles of hundreds—at the kitchen table. "Bye, Seth!" she called.

He waved a hand at her to be quiet, yelling out, "Wear protection!" just before the door closed behind them.

Richie walked quicker than she did, ending up at the base of the stairs before she got halfway.

"Where are we going?" It wasn't that Kate didn't like surprises, she just was slightly wary of them as of late. The last surprise involved almost breaking into a zoo to steal an otter. She had to be a little more cautious with this one, especially in these heels.

"You'll see," Richie said, leading her to the car.

"Are you trying to be dramatic or just trying to annoy me?" she asked as he held the door and shut it behind her. It was always a weird feeling being in a car alone, waiting for a driver. It was like the entire vehicle was holding its breath.

"I'm trying to be…y'know, romantic," Richie said, sliding in next to her.

Kate raised her eyebrows. Kate didn't need romance from anyone—though it was nice on occasion—and especially not from Richie. He filled the slot of odd, but forward and fulfilling interactions while Seth was a bit more normal in his slightly romantic endeavors and one-track mind. "Okay," she said, not wanting to offend him or make him feel like his idea—whatever it was—was stupid. She would just roll with it and see what happened. "So dinner?"

"No." He twisted around in the seat to back up out of the driveway.

Kate wasn't hungry anyway. "Are you really going to make me suffer?"

"A little bit," Richie said, putting the car in gear and getting onto the road. Once he was at an even cruise speed, his reached over and put his hand on her thigh.

"It's not my birthday," she said under her breath, trying to figure out the occasion. It was the height of summer, late August and _oh_. She almost said something out loud at her realization, but didn't want to get into an argument. She knew that this was the day she first met Richie, the day where her life was completely and forever changed. She wasn't big on anniversaries, and Richie knew that. He was, however, so it shouldn't have surprised her that he remembered and decided to take her out today.

He almost said something about her realization, but thought better of it too. "Am I not allowed to do something nice for you?"

"No, you are," she insisted, putting her hand over his. She tried not to ask any more questions.

The car ride didn't last long. It took them out of their suburb and into a part of town that was mostly asleep. There were a few lights on, dotting along the main street, but it was still relatively sleepy. Kate was really starting to second-guess her footwear choice. If she had to do any sprinting, she was going to be toast. Richie pulled into a spot along the street, right in front of darkened storefronts.

Trying not to ask, once again, where they were going, Kate waited as Richie got out and let him help her out because he was really taking this romantic chivalry thing to the grave. "Should I be worried something's going to jump out and scare me?"

"I thought nothing scared you anymore." He put his hand against her upper back, his fingers and wrist stretching across her petite shoulder blades.

"If a clown pops up out of the blue, I promise you, I will scream," she said, falling into step beside him. For every normal pace of his, she had to take two steps when she was in boots or flats; heels made her slow him down and made her legs work three times as hard. However, it made the walk last. She leaned against him, taking in the perfectly warm and cooled summer air, the fact that it was one of few times when Richie didn't have to worry about being under the sky for too long. It never bothered her, leaving her days for Seth, her nights for Richie; she was able to juggle both. It was just nice to be able to walk in public with him without having to duck under awnings or rush into buildings.

"No clowns," Richie shook his head, "at least none that I have to do with."

Kate nodded once. "Good."

They fell into comfortable silence as they continued closer to the town square, which was small but landscaped with gravel and native cacti and desert flowers, along with a small, stucco gazebo in the middle.

Richie tugged her to a gentle stop as they got to a storefront that had its gated door closed, but not locked.

Kate took one look and almost wanted to turn back. "Richie," she breathed out. "They're closed."

He ducked down a little and pointed out the single light inside. "They're open for us."

Kate held her breath as he opened the gated door and then pushed open the one inside, waiting for her to go through. She straightened her back and squared her shoulders and walked past him into the dimly lit store.

Glass displays were filled with gold and silver and platinum. Pure metal rings and necklaces intermixed with jewelry encrusted with beautiful rare and expensive gems. She felt rooted to the spot and didn't move until Richie came and touched her lightly on the shoulder and pointed at the ajar door in the back where the light was coming from.

"We're not breaking in are we?" For a thief, it was an odd thing to say, but they had a rule about heists in their home base towns; it was one hundred percent a no.

"The front door was unlocked," Richie said as they moved toward the door. "There's nothing to worry about."

He pushed open the back door, revealing a rather bright storage room, filled with walls of small vaults, and a tall desk that looked like it was as old as President Lincoln. A man stood behind it, slightly rounded, with white hair around his ears. He had small glasses on his nose. At first glance, he sort of looked like Santa Claus.

"Ah, Mr. Richard," the man said, hurrying around them to close the door so their business would be just that—their business.

"Evening," Richie inclined his head.

"And this must be the lovely lady," the man said as he took a look at Kate. She spotted a business card on the counter: Josef Thoreaux.

Josef went back behind his counter and squatted down, disappearing to the sounds of a safe knob being twisted.

"What's going on?" Kate whispered.

Richie smiled smugly. "Just wait."

"Here we go." Josef reappeared with a square box that Kate recognized as a necklace box. It was about as wide as her two hands side by side, and just as tall. Kate found herself standing at the counter, her hands resting hesitantly against the soft wood. She could feel Richie behind her, anticipating and waiting for her reaction.

Josef pried open the box and Kate let out a small gasp. Her eyes grew wide. Inside was nestled a double string of pearls. She could tell that they weren't fakes, their iridescent color consistent through each little bead. They were real and they were gorgeous and they, ultimately, were perfect for Kate.

Josef lifted them out of the velvet box and held them up in the light. "Now this is a collection of some of the largest pearls put together in one piece," he explained. "One hundred and twenty of them, to be exact. The color varies beautifully, with natural whites and light creams, imbued with subtle rose and green overtones. It's a Cartier original piece," he turned the diamond encrusted clasp over to show Richie the signature there, "and, as you know, Mr. Richard, is quite expensive."

Kate's hands almost shook as he laid the necklace in her palms. "How much?" she asked. It wasn't the actual payment she was worried about, it was the fact that an outrageous amount of money had been spent directly on her! _Her_ , Kate Fuller of Bethel.

"Four mi—"

"Doesn't matter," Richie interrupted, though the damage was done. Kate almost dropped them. Richie took the necklace from her and unclasped it, dipping it under her chin and fastening the back.

"I don't want to move," Kate said, feeling foolish, but she was reeling.

"They are quite sturdy, I assure you, miss," Josef tried making her feel better.

This was _fine_. She was wearing a necklace worth four million dollars. This was fine. If she was anyone but Kate Fuller, woman of God, slayer of culebra, destroyer of the Queen of Xibalba, she probably would have fainted.

"This is…extravagant," she said, lightly touching the largest of the pearls. Josef huffed a little as he brought up a large mirror for her to see herself in.

With her coifed hair, simple lipstick and black dress, she looked like a glamorous, young Hollywood actress from the early days of cinema. Richie's large hands rested over her shoulders, his face moving down into the mirror as she stared.

"It's too much, isn't it?"

"Yes," Kate said breathlessly, "but I love it."

"Yeah?" Richie sounded genuinely shocked.

"Yes," she nodded, getting the feeling back in her body as she came to accept the amount of money she was wearing around her neck.

Josef beamed as Kate became transfixed with the reflection in the mirror. It wasn't just her, it was her and Richie and the necklace and everything about their attire. It made her feel…queenly.

Some talk about money was exchanged, Richie was handed the velvet-lined box, and Kate thanked Josef without thinking as they left.

"This is…wow," Kate said finally once they were out in the warm night again. Across the town center, a bright building was letting out a horde of people from an art gallery, making their moment a little less private, but none-the-less special.

"You're not gonna hand it back to me in a few weeks, are you?" Richie asked.

Kate almost laughed, but his voice was serious. She stood in front of him and lifted a hand to his face, tracing her fingers down his jawline. "No, of course not. Why would I do that?"

He hesitated, a sore point hit, and she took the hesitation as enough of an answer. She leaned up and kissed him softly on the lips.

"Thank you. I mean this," she smoothed her hand down his tie, "is the nicest thing anyone has ever gotten me. Seth is gonna—"

"Hate me for showing him up like this," Richie finished.

They both laughed lightly and Kate slipped her hand around his elbow and they just walked. Kate got over the fact that she had four million dollars around her neck, and just enjoyed Richie beside her, all smug and suave looking. She found herself lucky.

They crossed the street to the town center as people in fancy dress milled about. They fit right in with the slightly younger and middle aged crowd, all chatting about art and how nice the weather was, the moon high in the sky and the stars all around.

They mingled in easily. Someone darted in front of their meandering path, a young woman probably twenty-five, dressed nicely but professionally, and holding a big, heavy camera.

"Excuse me? Sorry to interrupt but… _wow_ , you two are just…so stunning." She stepped back and surveyed them like they were art tacked up on the wall. "Like royalty almost."

Kate almost laughed at the irony. "Thank you," she said, slightly taken aback but enjoying the attention.

"I know this is probably forward, but that," she motioned behind her, "is my gallery space in a few months and I'm a photographer. I would absolutely love to take some photos of you. With your permission of course."

Kate raised her eyebrows and tilted her head back to look up at Richie. It was ultimately up to him considering he had a recognizable face and had so painstakingly faked his own death so as to not get caught up by the police again.

"If you don't want your faces involved, I do long exposures that can easily blur them," the woman added at the hesitation.

With one look at Kate's slightly hopeful upturned face, Richie relented. "Sure," he said.

Kate grinned and the woman was thrilled.

"Thank you so much! I'm Hannah, by the way," she held out her hand to shake.

"Kate," Kate said, shaking her hand. "And Richard," she added, motioning toward him.

Hannah nodded at him. "In front of the gazebo would be great, if you don't mind?"

They moved along, Richie a bit stiff, but Kate was excited. Hannah checked the lighting through the viewfinder and nodded. "Just...stand however you like. If you want your face blurred, just move your head a side to side slowly and the exposure will blur it naturally on the film," she explained.

"Okay," Kate said cheerily. She cleared her throat and leaned a bit against Richie, imagining herself like a '40's movie star. Richie just sort of stood there, but she could feel him relax.

"I'll do the overexposed shot first, then I'll take some with different angles and I promise to go through them with you and delete any you don't give permission for," she said professionally.

And then they got to it. Kate tried to make her eyes intense for the long exposure and Richie did move his face enough to blur it. After that, Hannah moved around them. Richie relaxed finally back against the gazebo and it was almost easy to forget they didn't have a camera pointed toward them. Near the end, Kate pushed herself away from the gazebo where she had been leaning and slipped on a bit of gravel. Richie moved quickly to catch her, and Kate laughed at her clumsiness, and Richie covered his face to hide his concern, all of which was caught on Hannah's camera.

Afterward, Hannah went over them on the screen and Kate got sad realizing she would probably never see the photos again. They looked so classy and _real_.

"Here," Hannah pulled a business card from the pocket of her slacks. "Get in touch with me in a few months and I'll let you know which photos I used. Again, thank you so much. I can't pay you or anything…"

Kate's hand went to her necklace. "Oh no, that's totally alright. We have no need for any more money. That was fun."

Hannah thanked them again and walked off. Once she was out of earshot, Richie leaned close to Kate's ear.

"Having a good time?"

"Absolutely," she replied. "I wish we could keep those photos. Just to…I don't know, remember this night, remember how young I once was once I'm old and you look the same as always."

Richie frowned as they started back toward the car. "We were staying clear of negative thoughts so well."

"Not negative, just facts," Kate waved a finger in the air. "Besides, I'm still young yet." She let her hand fall against the necklace, still marveling at everything about it. "I never want to take this off."

Beside her, Richie smirked. "Even when I take this off?" He slipped his finger under the strap of her dress.

Kate raised her eyebrows and turned to face him. The car was just a foot away. She put her hands against the lapels of his jacket. "Especially then," she teased, pulling him down to meet her expectant lips and utterly thankful for the car behind her as Richie pinned her against it, pressing their bodies together like molds meant to fit.


End file.
